#for arcade because thats how deep N.S.' loyalty and care for him goes. N.S. never lies about that and arcade accepts that now

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like people genuinely loved N.S. in many ways but the ones who made out best with those feelings were the ones who were willing to stop trying to love N.S. and actively realise those feelings into some end result. people get the most out of N.S. when they decide to just experience the person instead of trying to form a specific relationship that would give them something to "show" for the time spent together. but of course, and understandably, very few live like that by default or even know that's an option. and it isn't particularly palatable or an acceptable answer to the question "what are you guys to each other". N.S. couldn't have ever fit in or learned to live well with the great khans without chance because of it in a very funny way. not quite codependent but the antisocial 1 (unchecked chronic social anhedonia mistaken as just being a VERY chill guy) and antisocial 2 (doesn't want to pick up what youre throwing down) pairing up made them both more bearable and palatable to everyone else. since everyone lost interest or curiosity in trying to fill the role of "the one closest person to the lone wolf of the group" when they saw it becoming occupied. saving 85% of the camp from repeated disappointments from a lack of reciprocated interest and 100% of the generations most antisocial from having severe joker arcs as teenagers.